BMW ActiveE all-electric will be the test bed of its future electric cars

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BMW plans to roll out its all-electric car this year, which is known as the ActiveE based on the 1 Series model. And its goal is to build a test fleet of about 1,000 units and lease them to select customers in the USA, Europe and China. Future BMW’s electric cars and its electric technology will be based on the study of 1 Series ActiveE.

Currently, the BMW ActiveE is powered by an electric synchronous motor that produces 168 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. BMW claims that the ActiveE can sprint from 0-60 mph in 9 seconds with top speed reaching 90 mph. Three lithium-ion batteries are used to provide power to the electric motor. A full charge can be accomplished in about five hours using a 32-ampere wall box or a conventional household socket can be used, but that will required overnight charging.

To increase battery life, BMW uses regenerative to recuperated electricity back into the batteries. This works by making the electric motor acts a generator everytime the driver takes his/her foot off the accelerator pedal. BMW estimates that it provides about 20% of the energy recovered. In addition to extending the driving range, the ActiveE also has a “gliding mode”, in which the car is traveled simply by its own kinetic energy build up. Like many electric cars, BMW also provides an Eco Pro mode to provide the maximum driving range by shutting down or lower the energy consumption of many electrical devices such as the heating and air conditioning system.

BMW hopes the study will be completed by 2012, and will have the first production of the MegaCity EV all-electric car by 2013.